The first kite was invented in the inner suburbs of China by a philosopher called Mo Zi. He made the innovation by using silk and bamboo to create different shapes and sizes, as derived through the mathematics of the time. Presently, there are many theories relating to the origin of kite-making. One philosophy tells of a Chinese man’s hat being blown off but caught by the neckband, making it fly in the wind and giving Mo Zi the idea of inventing such an object. Arguably the most important use of kites was by Chinese emperors who used large kites to signal to their troops during time of civil war in China. Hefty kites even carried armed warriors who would fire down on the enemy troops below. However, kites were widely used throughout China as a leisure activity. With the invention of paper, artistic civilians began to experiment with kites and made three dimensional ones of their own. There was a time period in ancient China when kites were officially banned and some people were imprisoned for flying them. On the whole, decorated kites were loved by the Chinese and contain numerous illustrations – each with its own special symbolic meaning. For example, cranes signify long life and bats symbolise good luck whereas flowers represent harmony and dragons promise power or prosperity for the individual who’s flying it. Kites have a number of different purposes in China today but flying kites was classically seen as a healthy pastime activity, a sign of good luck on several celebrations and a cultural or historical tradition.